“I will make it; I always make it.” I have used that phrase for many years when the going gets hard. It has been my comforter, and it has given me so much strength. How will I make it?—through God’s grace, power and goodness. You can make it, too, if you try; but if you don’t even try, there is nothing God can do.

Has a situation ever come your way that immediately made you say, “I can’t do that”? Because it looked so difficult, you assumed you couldn’t do it before you had even tried. I never assume I can’t do something because I know I can always turn anything over to God. He is my helper, and He will be yours, too, if you allow Him to be; but some of you will not even make an effort so that He can help you.

When you were a child, you learned to walk because you didn’t quit trying. Sure, you stumbled and fell at times, and you probably shed some tears; but you got back up and kept trying. Soon, you were wobbling along, then walking and then running. Your trying paid off.

“Try” means attempting to make an effort to accomplish something, and you must never stop making an effort to do what is right in the Lord. Trying will take you to the threshold of faith; and in the Kingdom, faith is what brings the victory. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith [divine faith] (I John 5:4).

God has given us divine faith; but if you are not willing to put forth the effort to try, you will never get to the point of using faith. You have to make a willful decision to try; you can’t just sit around and do nothing.

Trying Brings Victory

Consider the four lepers the Bible speaks of in II Kings. There was a famine in the city, and they were about to die; but they decided to make one last effort to save themselves. And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die (II Kings 7:3)?

It is horrible to be starving, but the people in Samaria would not give those men anything because they were lepers; so they made a plan. If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die (II Kings 7:4). The Syrians had surrounded the city for days and cut off all supplies, so the people inside had already killed most of their animals for food; and some had even started killing their children.

And they [the lepers] rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life (II Kings 7:5-7). It is easy to just sit around until you die, but God doesn’t want that. He will move for you like He did for those lepers when you make an effort.

And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household (II Kings 7:8,9). The four men did a little thing, and God did a big thing by chasing the Syrians out. Then the lepers told others about it so they could enjoy the blessings, too. God works when you have faith and use it.

You have to make an effort if you want God to move. There may be days when you don’t feel like going to church or doing other things for the Lord. There have been times when I have felt like that, too, but faith told me I could make it and that it was my duty to go; so I went, and I won. How can you face the Lord and ask Him to help you if you stay home from church when you could have gone? You will never gain anything like that.

The Holy Ghost Is for All

Is there something you think you can’t do? Perhaps you think you can never receive the Holy Ghost baptism. After I was saved, I didn’t know how I would ever receive the Holy Ghost. I had watched many people receive it, so I knew it was real; but I didn’t think anyone but me could ever use my tongue.

I would open my Bible to the scripture that says, They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). Then I would say, “Lord, this is what I want.” I went to sleep saying, “Lord, give me the Holy Ghost!” If I woke up during the night, I said, “Lord, give me the Holy Ghost!” In the morning, I said, “Lord, give me the Holy Ghost!” If somebody had walked up to me and asked, “What do you want more than anything else in the world?”, I would have answered, “I want the baptism of the Holy Ghost just like the disciples received on the Day of Pentecost.” Then one night, I did receive the real baptism.

Jesus said He would give the Holy Ghost to those who obey Him. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him (Acts 5:32). Don’t listen to doubters who say that people don’t speak in tongues today because they do if they have the real Holy Ghost. Acts 2:4 says that the disciples began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Some people talk in tongues and prophesy at will, but that is not the Holy Ghost baptism from Heaven. It is man and the devil’s so-called Holy Ghost, and it grieves the Spirit. God let me know that when people do things like that, it opens the door for the devil to take over and use their tongue. Speaking in tongues at will is dangerous because it is of the flesh and the devil. When people don’t want the real thing, it is because they don’t want to pay the price to live holy.

When you have the Holy Ghost, you have the miracle worker and His miracle power inside of you. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). In this last hour, it is essential that we all have the Holy Ghost.

When you are seeking the Holy Ghost baptism, you have to put forth the effort to praise the Lord with your whole heart; but you cannot baptize yourself. Jesus is the baptizer, so you have to yield to Him and keep your mind off of yourself and others. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him (Luke 11:11-13)?

You Can Do What God Wants

Some of you may think you could never travel to the mission field or be able to work with the people there, but you could if you would try. Through faith, you can do whatever God wants you to do; and God must find you trying.

You may think you can’t fast; but Jesus said, Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). You must fast because you can only hold on to the things of God by prayer, fasting and living in the Word. That is the only way you can have His miracle power working in you all the time.

Some people do not believe in living free from sin; but the Bible says, The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). That means we can live free from sin. Before I was saved, I did not understand how I could be happy and not sin; but that was because I loved the wrong things. When I really became born new, such a big change took place in me that I suddenly hated the things I had once loved and loved the things I had not cared much about.

Since Jesus came, no one has to sin or He never would have come and shed His blood to make people holy in the first place. There was a time when God winked at ignorance but not anymore. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

Can you be still in God’s presence? The Bible says, Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). It is great to be still in His presence without saying a word. Then He can anoint you through and through.

Being still includes studying the Word. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15). You may think you can’t do that, but you can if you will only try. You must know what God is saying in His Word, but many people get into false doctrine because they don’t know how to let the Spirit teach them what God means in every scripture.

Do not decide that you have to read a certain number of chapters each day because it does not matter how much you read but rather what you get from it. When you are truly dining with the Lord, you must take in every word you read. The Bible is like a deep well, and you can never draw it dry. That would be like trying to dip the ocean dry with a thimble. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3).

You don’t need education to study the Word; you need the anointing of God, the Holy Ghost and Jesus. When Jesus came to Earth, the poor and uneducated people were the ones who received Him gladly. The common people heard him gladly (Mark 12:37).

Never Give Up

Never close the case on something just because you think you can’t do it. Instead, put forth an effort; but not doing that is what has hindered some of you from receiving what you need. All you have to do is make a little move to try and then trust God to do the big things.

If you think you have tried hard enough and still not been able to get the job done, that means you have not leaned on God 100 percent. You have to spend time with God to learn to lean on Him and to get closer to Him. Paul did that; and he said, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13).

Parents, how do you feel when your children refuse to do something you ask them to? Well, God is your heavenly Father, so how do you think He feels when you tell Him you won’t do something? You may say that you have already tried and failed; but I say try again, and ask God to help and anoint you.

If you have ever turned the key in your car and it wouldn’t start, did you stop with one try? Probably not if you really needed to go somewhere. But if you did stop with one try, then you did not need to use the car badly enough at that time.

You will not try very hard at something if you don’t feel the need or the desire to do it, and that is why you must feel the need of being ready for the Rapture. The Bible says, Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh (Matthew 24:44). You must know for sure that you are ready for Jesus’ return.

When you are hungry, you know you have a need. When your body is hungry, you need physical food; and when you are spiritually hungry, you need more food from Heaven. Jesus said, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6). He also said, He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away (Luke 1:53). If you are not getting filled up in your prayer life, you must find out why. Those who are hungry will make an effort to be filled, but those who are satisfied with what they already possess will not feel the need for anything more.

Some people are satisfied to be saved and sanctified while others are satisfied when they get the Holy Ghost, but I am never satisfied. I always want more and more of divinity so that I will be in shape for rivers of living water to flow from my innermost being to others. Jesus said, He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). That is the divine water of life.

The Lord told me years ago that the divine waters would begin flowing like creeks. The creeks would turn into rivers, and the rivers would become a sea that would cover the Earth. Those waters are now flowing, and they will continue to flow until Jesus comes. In the meantime, we have to keep that sea full of God’s love, grace, power, goodness and mercy.

Make an Effort

Zacchaeus had a hunger to see Jesus, so he made an effort and climbed a tree to watch Jesus pass by. He never intended for Jesus to see him, let alone speak to him; but Jesus took note of Zacchaeus’ effort. And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans [sinners], and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature (Luke 19:1-3). But Zacchaeus did not let that hinder him. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way (Luke 19:4). Zacchaeus did not care whether he looked dignified or not.

Then to Zacchaeus’ surprise, when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house (Luke 19:5). Jesus spoke with authority, so Zacchaeus made haste, and came down, and received him [Jesus] joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner (Luke 19:6,7). Those people didn’t know that Zacchaeus had accepted Jesus, and they accused Jesus without knowing what was really happening. Even today, some people are so far from God that they don’t know which side of a situation is right or wrong.

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:8-10). If you stop trying because something seems impossible, you are placing too much emphasis on the flesh and not enough on divinity. You have to make an effort and then trust God to direct you step-by-step.

You cannot afford to be sluggish. The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat (Proverbs 13:4). The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing (Proverbs 20:4).

If you have a problem that is not solved yet, keep trying until you get your answer from God; but if you refuse to try, there is nothing God can do. Some of you have not received help from God because you did not keep trying until you got into the shape you needed to be in to use your faith and receive. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:12).

Never Disappoint God

God needs people who will go to the Lord’s table and taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8). He needs people who will say, Draw me, we will run after thee (Song of Solomon 1:4). You cannot just walk; you must run. Ask the Lord to draw you so you can move faster for Him. We have only a limited amount of time left; so you should decide, “Lord, I will give you my best. You can count on me.”

Have you ever thought about what hinders you from trying? You may be afraid of being disappointed, but even God has been disappointed. He told me that man was His greatest disappointment, and I have never gotten over that. I never want to disappoint God. There may be times when you will have to disappoint people, but you can never afford to disappoint God.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). Think about how strong the heat of the sun is and what a great part sunshine plays in this world. Things cannot grow on Earth without the sun, and you cannot grow in the Lord without Him. The sunlight of Heaven always shines to light your way. It will give you clear vision of what God wants of you, and you will have no foggy days.

There is nothing greater than having the Father, Son and Holy Ghost to help and teach you. The Bible says that Jesus makes intercession to the Father for you. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us (Romans 8:34). That means that Jesus passes your requests on to the Father; and knowing that should help you never to doubt that God hears you. He is the Almighty One who can do anything.

The Bible also says that the Holy Ghost makes intercession for you. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26,27).

God will never disappoint you; but when man disappoints you, just make it a stepping-stone that will take you deeper into the love and faith of God. Instead of being afraid of being disappointed yourself, be determined not to disappoint God. There are many requirements to living for God, but you should never be afraid of failing to live up to them. Instead, you should be afraid of trusting too much in your own abilities.

Never Faint on God

You must always put God first and never get weary of working for Him. And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (Galatians 6:9). “Weary” means to be tired or to be exhausted from tolerating something that isn’t right. The word “faint” in the scripture does not refer to passing out; it means lagging behind the Lord or no longer wanting to try. So when the Bible tells us not to be weary in well-doing, it is telling us not to slow down or stop doing the will of God.

That does not mean we will never become weary in body because as humans, we will become tired at times. Even Jesus got tired. After a long journey to Samaria, He sat down at the well to rest; but Jesus did not let the weariness of His flesh cause Him to be weary in well-doing. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans (John 4:6-9).

Jesus was tired, but He did not let that stop Him from reaching to help a soul. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water (John 4:10). You can never be too tired to reach out for lost souls, either.

When your body of clay is weary, it is okay to rest; but you must never rest from what God has called you to do. Jesus said, If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:7). When opposition seems to be constantly coming your way, don’t seek your own way of escape or give up because God has promised that you will make it. Listen to God’s faith through the Holy Spirit, and it will give you great strength.

Paul said, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (I Corinthians 10:13). The devil will try to make you think you can’t take any more, but this verse says that is not true. I have thought at times, “Lord, surely I have had enough.” But when I looked around and found no way out, I said, “Lord, I can take some more.”

If Jesus could face so much and not be weary in well-doing, then we can make it, too. He is our example. The secret to knowing you will make it is to say like Jesus did, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done (Luke 22:42).

We Must Endure

Paul was in weariness often with all he went through, but he never got weary in doing God’s will. He always did what God called him to do. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness (II Corinthians 11:27). Paul did not always have enough food to eat or clothes to keep him warm; but he still said, Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (II Timothy 2:10). No matter what he had to go through, Paul was determined to encourage people to come to his Savior, Jesus Christ, and receive eternal salvation.

When you become weary on your journey, you must count your blessings rather than your troubles. Give all the glory to the Lord for all He has done for you, and then He will give you the grace and strength to overcome all your troubles. You must know that God is in control and that He is working all things out for your eternal good. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

If you love God and you know you are called to get this Gospel to the world, then you are called according to God’s purpose. It is never God’s will for you to listen to the devil or for him to torment you in your mind and steal the good thoughts the Lord has given to you.

Paul called this world’s afflictions light afflictions. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (II Corinthians 4:17). No matter what Paul had to suffer, he knew that one day he would never again have any pain or persecutions.

We can endure anything that comes against us through divine faith. Paul told Timothy, Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (II Timothy 2:3). Just as there are good and bad soldiers in our worldly armies, there are good and bad soldiers in the work of the Lord. Timothy had become a good spiritual soldier, and Paul wanted him to endure until the end just like Jesus had. For consider him [Jesus] that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (Hebrews 12:3).

At times, you can be so tormented that you will stop keeping up with Jesus; but you must never do that. You have to love the Lord with all of your heart, and then that divine love joins with divine faith to enable you to endure. [Love] endureth all things (I Corinthians 13:7). You can even get physical healings that way. If you get sick, the devil will try to make you think you are going to die; but the Lord and His love will tell you, “I need you in this hour. You will make it.”

Grow Up

Instead of enduring for Christ’s sake, some people act just like children; and they are ready to quit when things don’t go their way. Paul said that when he became a man, he put away childish things. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things (I Corinthians 13:11).

Do you run away from things when God doesn’t tell you to? Quitting doesn’t solve anything; it just shows how weak you are, and that is no way to live. Always remember that a quitter never wins, and a winner never quits. Quitting makes you and those around you miserable because you walk around complaining that nobody loves you or that someone hurt your feelings. The Bible says we are not to live by feelings. The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17). How you serve Jesus will be determined by whether you yield to feelings or to faith.

When the way gets hard, just settle down and be still in God’s presence; and that will be the making of you. Things are not always going to be easy, and that is why you need the divine love and faith that only the Lord can furnish. Jesus didn’t bring only the power to make us new creations; He brought everything we need to live the new and living way. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh (Hebrews 10:19,20).

When you are truly born again, you will stop grumbling, complaining and pitying yourself and grow up. As a child of God, you do not grow into grace because you received grace at Calvary; but as you study the Word and learn more about the Lord, you grow in grace, and grace grows in you. In that grace, you have all the favor of God, His Son and the Holy Spirit.

Never Lose Faith in God

The Bible includes many accounts of those who suffered much to do God’s work, but they made it through faith; and that is what counts. Noah spent 120 years building the ark, but he did not weary in doing what God wanted him to. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Hebrews 11:7).

Joseph’s own brothers sold him into slavery, and he endured many persecutions; but he made it, and God really blessed him. As a result, he was able to save his family from a horrible famine. And Joseph said unto his brethren…I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance (Genesis 45:4-7).

The great prophet Nehemiah never wearied in well-doing when he was building the wall in Jerusalem. The enemy tried again and again to get Nehemiah and those who were helping him to stop their work; but Nehemiah said, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you (Nehemiah 6:3)?

They had to go for days at a time without even changing their clothes because they had to hold a sword in one hand and work with the other hand. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon…neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing (Nehemiah 4:17,23).

Noah, Joseph, Nehemiah and many others made it; and so can you. God never has and never will ask or expect too much of anyone, and Jesus will never ask you to do anything that He has not already done Himself. He will enable you to do whatever He asks of you, so never say no to Him. Say yes through faith and depend on His sufficient grace and strength to take you through.

Paul said, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness (II Corinthians 12:9). Paul was determined to be just like Jesus, and you must be determined to defeat the devil and be free from all sin and disobedience, too.

The devil is the one who tells people that the Lord asks too much, and the reason they believe that is because they have more love for other things than they do for Jesus Christ. It is not asking too much to expect a person to set their affections on things above unless they have a greater love for the things of the world. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1,2). That is what I did, and it worked. God never fails.

Love God First

The flesh will grow weary on this journey; but you must know that with Jesus, you will make it. But we have this treasure [Jesus] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us (II Corinthians 4:7). You have to see Jesus as the treasure in your earthen vessel of clay and know that the excellent power comes from God and not from you. He is a treasure who is there all the time. Jesus said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5). You also have to be willing to reason with Him. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord (Isaiah 1:18). I have spent many hours listening to and reasoning with God, and He has taught me so much.

Reasoning with God requires love; and Jesus said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Matthew 22:37). You must be able to do that, but the rich, young ruler could not. He went to Jesus and said, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17)? Jesus told him what he had to do, but he wouldn’t do it because he loved other things more than he loved Jesus. And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions (Mark 10:18-22).

Keep Your First Love

Through John the Revelator, Jesus said to the church of Ephesus, Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love (Revelation 2:4). “First love” is the great love you receive at Calvary. From the time I was saved, I was always ready to do anything for the Lord. When my church had something that needed to be done during a service or at any other time, I was ready to do it no matter what it was; and I still am.

Do you still have your first love? Some people start out wanting to work for the Lord, and then they run out of gas and lose their first love. You can never love anything or anybody more than you love Jesus Christ.

If you have the Holy Ghost, you may remember that right after you received Him, you had great love; and you wanted to be with God and with His people more than you wanted to be with anyone else. You wanted the things of God and spiritual nourishment, and you knew you had to spend time with God and open wide to receive those things.

You will never think it is asking too much to let Jesus be your first love unless you love someone, something or even yourself more; and some people do. At one time, Demas traveled with Paul; and he could have continued and made it, but he loved the world more. For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world (II Timothy 4:10). Heaven was so close to Paul and Demas, but Demas left it all because of lust. Demas has been in hell now for about 2000 years, and he can never get out.

You have to be willing to forsake all and follow Jesus rather than people. You may be having problems with somebody in your own household, but you can’t let them influence you or drag you back. Jesus said, And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household (Matthew 10:36). When it is time to go to church, one of your family members may say, “If you loved me, you would stay with me and do this or that.” But you should say, “If you loved me, you would go to church with me and live right.” Give it back to them in a sweet way.

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it (Matthew 10:37-39). Jesus never asked too much of anyone; so when you become weary, you must know you can make it through faith.

I never worry about not making it because I turn everything over to the Lord. Then I go on to carry the burden for the lost, and it is never too heavy for me to carry. At times, it may seem to be as big as a mountain; but the Lord called me to carry it, and that is what I will do until the end of the journey. Winning souls is my life.

Look to Jesus

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it (I Thessalonians 5:24). We are called by the Lord in this final hour, not by people; and there is no greater honor than being chosen by God to do a special work for Him.

Paul said, I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me (I Timothy 1:12). The Lord enables you to do whatever He calls on you to do when you yield yourself to Him. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness (Romans 6:16)?

When Jesus became a man, He took on all the weaknesses of the flesh and was tempted in all points as we are; but He never gave in to His feelings. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was a faithful servant who did whatever the Father asked of Him no matter what people did or said to Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3).

Jesus denied Himself, took up His Cross and did not count His life dear unto Himself; and He told us that we are to do the same thing. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). I count my life dear only for how it can be used by the Lord to bring in the harvest. I live to please the Lord, and I adore Him and praise Him with every breath in me.

Jesus endured so much, but He made it. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus always put the devil to flight, and He won. If you don’t think you have what it takes to do that, just ask. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him [or her] (James 1:5). The Lord will never rebuke you for asking.

If you are going to buy something important, wait on God and get His wisdom about it. Don’t buy it first and then wonder whether or not it was God’s will. You should have sought God’s will before you bought it. God promised that if you would walk in His will, He would direct all your paths. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5,6).

God loves His children and looks out for them, so we must love Him in return. We love him, because he first loved us (I John 4:19). You must know that in your own strength you can do nothing. Jesus said, I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).

Always ask God for the help you need, and He will supply it. Then you must freely share what He has given you. God gives us great blessings, anoints our prayers and gives us His wonderful touch so we can reach out and help others. You must take time to be kind; and when you are really living close to God, you will win many souls for the Lord.

Hold On

When you look to the Lord, He will give you the strength you need to endure and hold on until deliverance comes. He brought divine blood from Heaven to help all of us, so you must hold on to the love of God in that blood. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

That love brings divine peace. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). That peace is not of the world. Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27). You can only have that peace by keeping your mind stayed upon the Lord. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee (Isaiah 26:3).

Trusting God comes through faith; and when you have doubt, you are not holding on. The Lord said that with any doubt, you are not to think you will receive anything from Him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord (James 1:6,7). When you let your faith waver, you are letting go of all confidence in and obedience to God’s promise; and that is actually a disobedience to God.

You must have Word faith. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). I let the Lord talk to me through the Word, and I let it soothe my mind and my body. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20). The Lord gave us the Word to be our guiding light. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). The promises in God’s Word are all true, so you must hold on to them and never let go.

Take God’s Way

God told Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing (Genesis 12:1,2). Abraham obeyed because he trusted God, and you can do that, too; but you will never be able to say yes to Jesus by trusting in yourself. You have to be fully persuaded that God is able to perform whatever He has promised. He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform (Romans 4:20,21).

Paul knew what God could do; and he said, Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). All you have to do is yield to the Lord until Jesus comes for His Bride.

For it is God which worketh in you both to [perform His] will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). God will even supply you with a willing spirit if you really desire to yield to Him and make it.

I have never said no to the Lord, and I never will. Whenever He visits me, the only thing I say is, “Yes, Lord.” I listen intently to every word He speaks, and I desire His will and His instructions. Like Job, I can say, But he [God] knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10). Nothing can ever turn me against Jesus Christ.

Do you want God’s way or your own way? In the parable of the sower, Jesus described people who let self and the cares of the world take them over. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful (Matthew 13:22). Are the cares of this world choking you? Do you have a weak appetite for the things of God? If so, you are not receiving the things of God. You are selfish and doing things your own way because you will never choke if you are doing things God’s way.

Don’t seek things that please the flesh because self needs spiritual deliverance, spiritual nourishment and spiritual help. Just ask and you will find the nourishment you need. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthew 7:7). Those are three steps that even a little child can take, but some grown people have trouble taking them because they have not surrendered all to the Lord.

Jesus said to one of the seven churches in the book of Revelation, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20). When the Spirit knocks on your door and wants you to spend time with Him, you need to open wide and yield. Then the more you yield, the more of God you will want. The things of the world will grow dim to you in comparison to what divinity has to offer.

Yield to God’s Will

Children of God, you don’t have to be afraid of devils or people because the Lord has given you spiritual weapons. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (II Corinthians 10:4). Our weapons are not of this world. They are mighty through God, and they can pull down those things that worry and trouble you. Get rid of them altogether by throwing them back to the devil and stomping him with your spiritual weapons, and then go on your way shouting victory.

Paul said, I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day (II Timothy 1:12). That takes away all fear and despair and gives you strength to trust the Lord and to hold on to Him. Paul knew that he had nothing more to commit.

When you truly commit everything to God, you become His son or daughter; and He will take care of you just like He did His Only Begotten Son. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1:12). Paul knew that he had been made a partaker of the divine blood of Jesus Christ.

God is the Great Potter; and He knows you, the clay. He knows how to work with you. O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand (Isaiah 64:8). The Lord visited with me years ago and said, “I will mold you and make you and break you again and again.” Oh, how I cried that night; but He has done just that, molding and making me into whatever vessel He needs at any time. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it (Jeremiah 18:3,4).

God doesn’t want us to be just one vessel; He wants to make us into many vessels of honor that He can use to pour out Heaven upon others. If you will serve what you have, God will see to it that you have plenty of Heaven to serve; and you must trust Him to mold you in perfection into any vessel He needs.

I never complain to God about what He is doing with me because I know He is always right, and you must know that, too. You must hold on to God’s unchanging hand, and then you will never walk alone just as Jesus never walked alone. He said, And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him (John 8:29). You must walk hand-in-hand with God daily knowing that you are His, and He is yours. You must help us sound the Gospel trumpet all over the world in this final hour crying, “Come to Jesus! Come to Jesus!” And they are coming by the thousands. Glory be to God!

You Can Come to Jesus

Let God move for you today. Let Him know that you will always have the spirit of willingness. God wants us not only to live free from sin but also to enjoy serving Him; however, you cannot do that until you accept Jesus into your heart. If you don’t know Him today, say the sinners’ prayer with me now. Then you can be rid of the condemnation of sin and be made holy and free through the power of the Holy Spirit. Oh, God, save my soul! I am so sorry that I sinned against you, but I have come home; and I will serve you, Lord, for the rest of my life. I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus! Come on in!

If you believe that prayer, Jesus has come into your heart and changed it from a heart of sin into a pure heart that He can live in. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). Praise the Lord for the marvelous delivering power in His blood.

Now, you must go on to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. Only then will you be ready when the Rapture takes place. That is the blessed hope the Bible speaks of. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). I am not planning to be in a casket one day; I am expecting to go up when Jesus comes.

You Can Be Made Whole

Now that you have found the Lord, there is nothing that can keep you from reaching out in faith and believing for any healing you need. The Bible says, He is the Lord who healeth all thy diseases (Psalm 103:3). It is the will of the Lord for you to be well. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth (III John 1:2).

Lord, I am your believer, and I come with your supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit—His gifts of miracles and healings. Bodies will come to normal; eyes will receive sight; crippled legs will be made well; paralysis will leave people; and hearts, lungs and internal parts will come to normal. Heal! Heal those who have heart trouble, cancer, AIDS or any other deadly disease that does not give them long to live! Heal them all in the name of Jesus!

As I prayed, I saw the miracle power and the miracle glory of the Lord. It was like a cloud, and His presence went into your body if you accepted that prayer. Let that power flow throughout your system and carry it with you in all faith. Then watch yourself or your loved one recover. The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up (James 5:15).

A Message from the Lord

I come to you today, saith the Lord. I come to give you my greatness. I come to give you my love and my faith. I come to give you my strength. I come to give you everything you need for this hour. Use it in its fullness. Use it, and you will be a soul winner like my Only Begotten Son was when He was here on Earth. You are offered everything He used to win souls for His Father, and I am your Father, also. My eye is upon you to do you good, and to lead you by a mighty hand. Fear nothing but your God, and you will do my holy will; and I will be pleased with you. I will bless you in so many ways, and I will use you to bring in the lost for me.

It is time to believe God for all His greatness in this last and final hour. It is time to climb the highest mountain and to cry to the ends of the Earth, “Stretch forth your hand! The Lord God Almighty is ready to help you and deliver you! Stretch forth your hand, and the Holy Spirit will take it and lead you into all the greatness of God! Let Jesus be your all in all, and you will have nothing to fear and nothing to worry about. You can make it if you try!” Hallelujah to the precious Lamb of Almighty God forever and ever!